The Department of Athletics is always looking for ways to promote the accomplishments of its former student-athletes and will be conducting a series of Alumni Spotlight's to highlight their professional accomplishments. If you have a success story you would like to share, please contact Assistant AD for External Relations Tim Lutz at tlutz1@aum.edu or at 334-244-3832. He can also be reached on Facebook or Twitter (@timlutz). We would love to hear from you and share your accomplishments.
 
Today's Alumni Spotlight features Chuck Lemmond, a two-year standout for the baseball program. Originally from Alexander City, Ala., Lemmond lettered for the then-Senators from 2001-02, helping the team to a 100-34 record during the time.
 
Lemmond joined the program after playing two seasons at Chattahoochee Valley Community College, where he set a new school record for saves in a season as a sophomore. Prior to joining the Pirates, he played four seasons at Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City and was selected to the East-West All-Star game as a senior.
 
During his tenure at AUM, Lemmond appeared in 41 career games on the mound, posting a 5-3 record with a 3.86 earned run average. He struck out 66 hitters in 77 innings pitched and tallied a pair of saves during his tenure.
 
As a junior, Lemmond helped the Senators to a 50-18 record, posting a 3-1 record with a 4.50 ERA and two saves in 42 innings. His 21 appearances were second on the team and he earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors following the season. During his senior campaign, he was tied for second on the team after pitching in 20 games, while posting a 2-2 record and a 3.09 ERA. Despite both seasons ending in the NAIA Region XIII Tournament, the 2001 and 2002 teams hold the distinction of being the only AUM baseball squad to win 50 games in consecutive seasons.
 
Currently, Lemmond is a radiation therapist for the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, as well as the head coach for a well-respected travel baseball team called Shockwave. He is married to his wife, Anna, who is an alumna of AUM, and has three children – Thomas, Kennedy and Cooper. They reside in Tallassee, Ala.
 
He is now working on the instillation of a new linear accelerator, which uses high energy targeted x-ray beams to treat many types of cancer, including nasal tumors, oral tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, and brain tumors.
 
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family at the ball park, the lake or being outside on their property.
 
For more information on what Chuck is doing and how AUM played a role in his professional success, please check out the Q&A below.
 
1. Where are you living now and what are you doing? Did you know you always wanted to do what you are doing professionally?
I live in Tallassee, Ala. I am married to Anna Lemmond and we have 3 kids - Thomas (12), Kennedy (8) and Cooper (4). I met my beautiful wife "Anna" while playing at AUM and we got married and continued to live in Montgomery for several years, until we had kids. Since I left AUM in 2002, I have become board certified in Radiology and Radiation Therapy. I have been a Radiation Therapist for 16 years now. I didn't always know what I wanted to do. I now work for Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. I was hired as the first radiation therapist at Auburn and am currently involved in the installation of the newest Varian Edge Linear Accelerator. We treat all kinds of animals for cancer including dogs, cats and even larger animals such as horses. Over the last four years, I have coached a highly-ranked travel baseball team called Shockwave. I have coached a total of 28 players over the last four years who have been a part of Shockwave. We have made 30 Championship Appearances and we have an overall record of 154-55-5. We have played in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and competed with the most highly ranked teams in the southeast. It is truly an honor to be a part of baseball and contribute to the success of kids.
 
2. How did your time as a student and student-athlete at AUM prepare you for your career and life after college?
AUM did a great job of preparing me for my life after college. Being a student-athlete taught me to work hard, create goals and plan ahead. AUM taught me how to be a great student and continue to be a high-level athlete. Those same principles helped me in life because having a busy job with a busy family can be difficult, but I learned to balance all of that in college.
 
3. What are some of your future goals in regard to your career or personally?
My goals are to continue to create goals and set to achieve them. I want to give Auburn the best employee that they have ever had. I want to work towards becoming a Certified Medical Dosimetrist and receive my license in Medical Dosimetry. I also want to continue to work with players to get them to the next level. Right now, I hope to see all of my players make their school baseball teams. In the future I hope to see them separate themselves from the average and make it to play college baseball.
 
4. When is the last time you've been to campus. How has the campus changed?
I was on campus last spring for a baseball game. I brought my kids to watch a game. The campus has had tremendous changes since I was in school there. I would have loved the opportunity to have had the fitness center there then. We only had a small weight room when I was there, and we didn't really make it a priority to work out much. Now athletes are trained in a totally different way and have access to a lot of resources. There was only one dorm when I was there, but I stayed in an apartment. Now, AUM has developed some very nice housing for all of their students and student-athletes. This really gives the athletes a chance to grow closer and get to know each other. 
 
5. What originally attracted you to AUM as a student-athlete?
I had 100% full ride to play at North Georgia and I had multiple other offers. I had teammates who I knew that played at AUM. They always have had a successful program. AUM gave me a full scholarship to play, but it also allowed my family to see me play because I was closer to home. We won 100 games in my 2 years at AUM.
  
6. What are some of your most memorable moments from your time as a student-athlete at AUM?
As I said earlier, we won 100 games at AUM. We were 50-16 my junior year and 50-18 my senior year. I was a pitcher and my main role was to be a setup guy and a closer. I shared time closing with Josh Harris who broke the national record for saves. If I wasn't closing, then I was the setup guy for him to come in and close. I loved to come out of the bullpen running, with an adrenaline rush and shut some teams down. The best times were when we made the regional tournament both years and fans were lined up and down the fences. Unfortunately, we were put out both years a game short of the World Series by North Georgia.
 
7. How often do you keep in touch with your former teammates?
I have a travel team and so do some of my former teammates. We coach against each other every weekend. I love to talk about old times and spend time sharing moments with our players and kids. Jon Steed, Keith Johnson, Brad Tomlinson and Nathan Marks are the ones I see the most and keep up with.
 
8. What are some things you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love to coach baseball, but I also love to hunt, fish and ride four-wheelers around our property when we are not playing. I spend a lot of time on Lake Martin with my wife and kids.
 
9. What advice would you have for the current student-athletes at AUM?
Give it all you've got. Enjoy your time on and off the field. Choose a degree that you can use when you finish at AUM. I see so many degrees go to waste because they don't plan right. I had a hard time deciding on what I wanted to major in, but I wish I had shadowed different career fields that would have open my eyes to different opportunities. I tell my players who I coach now, "someone is always watching you". Respect the game and the people around you, because you never know who is waiting to give you an opportunity.
 
10. Anything else you would like to share with the AUM community?
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to play baseball and get a degree. There are millions of athletes who are chasing the dream to get the opportunity that you and I have or had. Cherish the moment because soon it will only be a memory. Thank you to Tim Lutz for reaching out and investing in the ones who have moved on. It is an honor to be recognized and be rewarded for all of our hard work.  Go WARHAWKS!